Every week, I will share my favorite waiver wire or free agent pickups in fantasy football. Here is what I have for week one!
We don’t know if he will be the starter in week two because HC Mike Tomlin could decide to go to Russell Wilson if Wilson is healthy. Fields looked pretty good, though, even with the Steelers not scoring a TD. Fields is the better fit for this team, and he will only get better with more time spent running the offense. His upside in fantasy is big, thanks to his running ability, so you don’t want to let him stay on the wire for much longer. If/when he is named as the starter, everyone is going to want him.
Surround Darnold with talent and perhaps he is a solid QB? Is it possible that he is judged too harshly because of his time with the Jets? Yes and Yes! Darnold is good, but judging him by his Jets days is foolish. He looked very solid in week one and it helps that he has Justin Jefferson to throw the football to. Scoop him up and feel confident using him.
This is purely for Super Flex leagues only. Willis is not a good QB, and even though he is surrounded by excellent playmakers and coaching, he isn’t reliable or someone I would start in a one QB league. In a deeper league of 12-14 teams, though, where you can start two QBs, he is worth a look, especially if you are a Jordan Love owner. He is not worth using a priority waiver wire add on, but certainly a lower priority or free agent pick up.
His familiarity with the offense afforded him plenty of snaps in week one, and it led to him being involved heavily in the passing game. The Ravens will also ease Henry into things, so early in the season, Hill is going to see even more work. He is never going to take over the RB1 role unless Henry gets hurt, but he is the passing down back in an explosive offense, so in PPR formats, he should be added. If he produces like he did in week one, he could carve out a role that lasts all season long, not just early on.
I told you to pick him up last week, and you might have been able to get him for free. Now, he is going to cost you a high waiver priority, but it is still worth it. He looked excellent against a great Jets defense on MNF and proved that he should be seeing touches even when CMC is back and healthy. Anytime CMC misses a game now, Mason looks like he can be an RB1 that week.
He got his fair share of touches in the Bucs week one win over the Commanders, and it has likely earned him more opportunities going forward. Rachaad White isn’t going anywhere, but Irving is going to eat into White’s touches, which is good news for the Bucs, who can keep both backs fresh and productive. Irving was the more productive runner of the two backs in week one, which is another reason why his role could increase.
Until rookie MarShawn Lloyd is fully healthy, Wilson is the backup RB to Josh Jacobs in the Packers offense. This makes Wilson worthy of an add this week because the Packers have used multiple backs often under head coach Matt LaFleur. We saw him get touches in week one vs. the Eagles, and he looked good with the touches he received. This is especially a good pickup if you roster Jacobs. The Packers might be forced to run the football even more over the next few weeks due to the Jordan Love injury.
He’s not taking for ETN unless there is an injury, but he showed in week one that there is room for two RBs in the Jags offense and that if something did happen to ETN, he would be able to take over and be productive. He ran much more effectively, averaging over six yards per carry, and saw the same amount of carries (12) as ETN got.
He is available in shallow leagues because Gus Edwards and Vidal were the popular draft picks in this backfield. Dobbins has never stayed healthy, and I don’t expect him to this season, but while he is healthy, he should be rostered, especially after a monster week-one performance. He can be considered a flex option this week against the Panthers, who gave up 47 points to the Saints in week one, including 175+ rushing yards and two rushing TDs.
It was Dortch, not Marvin Harrison Jr. or Trey McBride, who led the Cardinals in receptions and receiving yards in week one. It won’t be that way every week, but it’s important to see how much Murray trusts Dortch. The Cardinals are going to be playing from behind a lot this season, and they’re going to be airing it out. Dortch is going to get plenty of opportunities and can be considered a flex play in deeper leagues.
The Chargers didn’t look as bad as some people thought they might. They were able to lean on the run as expected, though, thanks to leading for most of the game. That won’t always be the case, though, and it’s important to note that Johnston was second on the team in targets, catches, and receiving yards. McConkey should be the WR1 on this team, but the WR2 role is wide open right now, and Johnston has as good a chance as Josh Palmer does to earn it.
He has a history with Aaron Rodgers, and the Jets WR2 role is up for grabs, especially until Mike Williams is able to play with any regularity. Rodgers only completed passes to three players Monday: WR1 Garrett Wilson, RB Breece Hall, and Lazard. That puts Lazard in a unique situation because it shows that Rodgers trusts him, so if you have any faith in Aaron Rodgers this season, Lazard is someone worth adding right now. Lazard even added a garbage time TD on a pass from Tyrod Taylor.
Cooks was a huge disappointment last season, but he got off to a nice start against a good Browns defense in week one. The Cowboys need another WR who can make plays and take some pressure off of CeeDee Lamb, and Cooks showed that he can be that guy. TE Jake Ferguson, who was expected to be the second leading target getter in the offense, is injured and will miss some time, which makes Cooks even more interesting for at least a few weeks.
With Puka Nacua set to miss four or more games, Johnson is about to see a big uptick in his usage. He made some big plays in week one after Puka left the game, and he will be relied upon to do so moving forward for a month. Cooper Kupp is going to see most of the targets as we saw, but he can’t make 20-25 catches per game. Johnson is a guy to target in 12, 14, and 16-team leagues.
He went un-drafted in shallower leagues because Mark Andrews is healthy and is considered the TE1 in the Ravens offense. Still, it was Likely who saw plenty of targets in week one, way more than Andrews did, and Likely basically acted as the WR2 in the offense. That makes him a must-add in all formats. He could be a top-10 TE this season, so get him now before it’s too late! I would use the number one waiver priority claim on Likley this week; I wouldn’t worry about saving it for something better to come along.
With Puka Nacua set to miss four or more weeks and Parkinson showing in week one that he will be involved in the Rams’ offense, Parkinson and the aforementioned Tyler Johnson both get a bump up in fantasy value. QB Matthew Stafford will spread the ball around well, even if he does target Cooper Kupp 15+ times. If you roster Ferguson or Njoku, Parkinson might be a nice addition for you this week. Ferguson is going to miss some time, while Njoku left week one with an injury, and he is stuck with Deshaun Watson as his QB.
So, this is not a defense I like all season long, but in shallower leagues, you can often stream, even if you have a good defense already rostered. The Seahawks go on the road to New England this week, and the Patriots have one of the worst offenses in the NFL.
